:00:35. > :00:41.Good evening. Semi-final day at the William Hill UK Championship here at
:00:42. > :00:45.the Barbican in York. Australia are dominating the second Ashes Test
:00:46. > :00:47.Down Under and here, an Australian, Neil Robertson, is leading an
:00:48. > :01:03.Englishman, it's Stuart Bingham. Well played, Stuart Bingham.
:01:04. > :01:11.Where is the red going to go? It's not getting close. Might go in if it
:01:12. > :01:29.runs. If it runs. Oh! All square. One apiece.
:01:30. > :01:48.Played it well. Would you believe it?
:01:49. > :02:22.Neil Robertson puffs his cheeks but he's 5-2 in front and happy.
:02:23. > :02:33.Excellent eight frames. Stuart Bingham can smile after this
:02:34. > :02:37.evening's session. 5-3. That was a really crucial frame for
:02:38. > :02:43.Stuart Bingham, but obviously, as we go into this evening's session, it's
:02:44. > :02:52.Neil Robertson who has the upper hand. Ken Docherty was watching. How
:02:53. > :02:56.do you think he did? She was clinical, web he got his chance and
:02:57. > :03:00.he stole two frames before the interval. Stuart Bingham had a
:03:01. > :03:04.chance in every sippingle frame today and he finds himself 5-3 down
:03:05. > :03:13.still. Robertson, he took his chances very well. You touch on the
:03:14. > :03:16.something there which is key. Bingham took his chances yesterday
:03:17. > :03:20.but didn't do that today? He scored an awful lot more heavier against
:03:21. > :03:26.O'Sullivan yesterday. No doubt. Today he got the chances and wasn't
:03:27. > :03:30.clinical enough. He looked a bit tired and concentration waivered a
:03:31. > :03:37.bit maybe just getting over the match yesterday. It was a big one
:03:38. > :03:40.for him. I still think he's playing well, cueing well. That last frame
:03:41. > :03:45.of the session today was so important for Stuart Bingham. A do
:03:46. > :03:48.you think Bingham can turn this around? Absolutely. He still has to
:03:49. > :03:56.have the belief and do what he's been doing all week. The first
:03:57. > :04:01.couple of frames are crucial. Stuart can't lose 3-1, he has to stick in
:04:02. > :04:04.there and keep doing what he's doing and to keep the belief. OK, Ken for
:04:05. > :04:08.the moment, thank you very much indeed. Neil Robertson needs four
:04:09. > :04:13.frames to reach Sunday's final. He's never won the UK title. The players
:04:14. > :04:15.are standing by. Let's join Rob Walker.
:04:16. > :04:21.Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It's Friday night. We are in York.
:04:22. > :04:27.This is the concluding session of the first semi-final in this year's
:04:28. > :04:32.William Hill UK Championship. It's all to play for at the Barbican
:04:33. > :04:38.centre and we are rocking and rolling here.
:04:39. > :04:44.Please welcome first of all, a player making his first appearance
:04:45. > :04:47.in a world or UK semi-final, beating Ronnie O'Sullivan yesterday for only
:04:48. > :04:52.the second time in his career, he won the last frame of the afternoon
:04:53. > :05:05.and he is right in the hunt tonight. He is the pride of Essex, he is
:05:06. > :05:16.Stuart Ballroom Bingham. APPLAUSE
:05:17. > :05:36.And his opponent, a player who started out here ten years ago with
:05:37. > :05:40.nothing and he's risen to the top of the world all the way from
:05:41. > :05:44.Australia. He's won at the Crucible and the Masters, this would be the
:05:45. > :05:49.hat trick. His mum has flown in to see him tonight? Can you hear the
:05:50. > :05:58.thunder from Down Under? Here comes Neil Robertson.
:05:59. > :06:29.MUSIC So, this is the first semi-final,
:06:30. > :06:34.tomorrow the reigning champion Mark Selby takes on Ricky Walden. He's
:06:35. > :06:38.aware of his record against the world number one, he's beaten
:06:39. > :06:44.Robertson five times and twice this year. Dennis Taylor and Willie
:06:45. > :06:50.Thorne join us now. Very good evening to you Jason and
:06:51. > :06:55.good evening to everyone watching. What a cracking semi-final this has
:06:56. > :07:01.been so far. Stuart Bingham with that terrific break of 78 which he
:07:02. > :07:05.really needed to just leave himself two behind. Fascinating evening's
:07:06. > :07:08.snooker. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Frame 9. Stuart Bingham
:07:09. > :07:10.to break. Who is going to be lifting that
:07:11. > :07:22.little beauty on Sunday night? It was a strange session the first
:07:23. > :07:27.session. Should have been 4-1 in front possibly, Bingham, and ended
:07:28. > :07:39.up being behind. Then all of a sudden, he had to win that game. It
:07:40. > :07:40.was just at the right time. He dug deep in the final frame to give
:07:41. > :07:57.himself a chance this evening. Both in the 90s, Bingham just 1%
:07:58. > :08:00.ahead of Stuart. Just 1% deminks the safety success rate. So they are
:08:01. > :08:22.very evenly matched. APPLAUSE
:08:23. > :08:26.That was about the best that he could do from the position he was in
:08:27. > :08:29.there. No black available. Didn't want to
:08:30. > :08:55.cannon the two reds. Landed in no-man's-land. It was very
:08:56. > :08:58.difficult. I couldn't see what he could get on to there. He's looking
:08:59. > :09:00.at the reds. There is no value because the pink and black are tied
:09:01. > :09:13.up. He has took the plant on. Stuart
:09:14. > :09:17.Bingham, 6. Hasn't left anything. You never
:09:18. > :09:21.know. That was a tough one. Suppose he was going through for the blue
:09:22. > :09:26.and the only one he could leave was that one.
:09:27. > :09:48.Neil is looking for a possible plant but with safety in mind.
:09:49. > :09:54.I don't think I've seen Neil play as tight as he did this afternoon. He
:09:55. > :09:59.decided to take no chances whatsoever. I wonder whether he's
:10:00. > :10:06.going to play the same way this evening. I noticed that, watching
:10:07. > :10:24.back at the hotel. Refusing a few long pots, Neil.
:10:25. > :10:31.There is Neil's mum there, Alison. Still recovering from jet lag. Been
:10:32. > :10:37.in two days. The most charming woman you could ever wish to meet.
:10:38. > :10:43.Family get uptight when they come to watch, you know. He just says, I'm
:10:44. > :10:47.here, I'm going to enjoy every minute of it, if Neil wins he wins,
:10:48. > :10:50.if he doesn't, it's not the end of the world, she's not going to get
:10:51. > :11:05.nervous. Terrific lady. That's the first poor safety shot of
:11:06. > :11:12.the evening. It's one that you would normally expect Neil to pot. He
:11:13. > :11:15.could possibly get on the black, but with the two reds either side, may
:11:16. > :11:22.decide to play the blue first. He's one of the game's best long
:11:23. > :11:35.Potters. APPLAUSE
:11:36. > :11:39.Never refused one like that. Quite difficult ones. He's pretty good
:11:40. > :11:45.when he's at distance from them. It's given him an early chance here.
:11:46. > :11:48.Pink still out of commission. The Reds are nicely open. Just the
:11:49. > :12:13.black. Got a slight angle on the blue so he
:12:14. > :12:17.can get to where his hand is at the moment by powering the blue. Quite a
:12:18. > :12:19.big gap in-between the two reds to get on to the ones on the black
:12:20. > :12:53.spot. If he takes the one into the right
:12:54. > :12:57.corner, he might be trying to hold for the black. If he takes this one
:12:58. > :13:02.to the left corner to play around for the blue, you would feel he'd do
:13:03. > :13:08.that. Play around for the blue. Depends on the angle. Back to his
:13:09. > :13:17.first choice. There is a shot on here if he wanted
:13:18. > :13:24.to take it. When potting this, he could play a little cannon. If he
:13:25. > :13:27.cannoned that red, that would clear things up. He doesn't have to play
:13:28. > :13:31.that shot. He could probably get around the back of the black but
:13:32. > :13:49.that's not a bad option. Just move that slightly out of the way.
:13:50. > :13:55.APPLAUSE Isn't that one shot now that puts
:13:56. > :13:58.the black near the two pockets. This is an excellent chance to go three
:13:59. > :14:14.clear again. There's something about left-handed
:14:15. > :14:25.snooker players and golfers. They always look very elegant. He's what,
:14:26. > :14:34.about 6'2", something like that. And just has a terrific technique.
:14:35. > :14:41.He struggled a bit, but he's improved unbelievably. It's amazing
:14:42. > :14:44.Dennis. He spent a year at my club in Leicester and he was not even in
:14:45. > :14:48.the top six or seven players in the club, lost his tour card, then ended
:14:49. > :14:51.up trying to come back again, lost it again, then was given a wild card
:14:52. > :14:55.on the tour and from then on, he's been the most improved player of
:14:56. > :14:57.all-time. It's just amazing how much he's improved.
:14:58. > :15:11.Rightly at number one at the moment. He's been the most consistent.
:15:12. > :15:18.Doesn't really want to be playing cannons here, but he might have to
:15:19. > :15:22.do looking at that. He could avoid that because you
:15:23. > :15:25.could stick, if you play the cannon on the two Reds, you could stick in
:15:26. > :15:52.there. Nice enough at the moment. Made something like 14 more
:15:53. > :15:59.centuries than anybody else this year. Made 55 centuries, which is
:16:00. > :16:08.quite remarkable. Made 45 last season. I think just over 60 or 61,
:16:09. > :16:14.Judge. 62 I think is the record. As long as he remains in good health,
:16:15. > :16:16.he's certain to beat that then. Plenty of tournaments to cover
:16:17. > :16:41.before the season ends. That time he did play a little
:16:42. > :16:47.cannon and maybe that took his eye off.
:16:48. > :16:56.Just was concerned about the white there. Doesn't miss many of those.
:16:57. > :17:04.An unexpected chance for Stuart Bingham here. Unexpected chance, it
:17:05. > :17:08.doesn't half hurt your opponent. He's sitting in the chair think, I'm
:17:09. > :17:12.going to go three frames behind, all of a sudden he has a gift and
:17:13. > :17:16.Robertson will be sitting there and all he can do is hope that Bingham
:17:17. > :17:30.makes a mistake like he just did. Play the cannon this time. Has a bit
:17:31. > :17:38.of insurance. He'll take the red and go up for the cannon.
:17:39. > :17:44.If he leaves that straight, that's very careless.
:17:45. > :17:53.Perfect little bunch of reds to go in. At the right angle on the blue,
:17:54. > :17:58.it could have opened up the whole game if it was in-between the red
:17:59. > :18:03.and pink. Got to be careful he doesn't screw back too far. Needs to
:18:04. > :18:06.get virtually close to being straight, otherwise it's too
:18:07. > :18:14.difficult to pot. Decided to try and make an angle. Needs a kiss on the
:18:15. > :18:18.red, otherwise it's nowhere. It was the shot to get on the blue
:18:19. > :18:24.that let him down. Should have had a better angle.
:18:25. > :18:35.This was the one here. Fin fished almost straight. -- finished almost
:18:36. > :20:19.straight. Cut the red over the corner pocket
:20:20. > :20:26.where the black is. Might be able to take a pot on, the
:20:27. > :20:30.one that's nearest the pink there. That's what he tried, but had safety
:20:31. > :20:42.in mind also. This looks pretty good to me.
:20:43. > :20:49.Neil can play that as a pot, but he'd do well to miss the kiss on the
:20:50. > :21:07.blue on its way back. If he plays that red, that's the
:21:08. > :21:11.sort of line he'd take. He's got to get it just right. He didn't get it
:21:12. > :21:17.right. It's always going to be difficult.
:21:18. > :21:24.At first glance, he could have left something easier than this.
:21:25. > :21:33.Once he cannoned the other red, every chance of putting Stuart in
:21:34. > :21:42.with an easy open opener. Difficult to judge those. As soon as he hit
:21:43. > :21:54.the other red, well... That's a good start.
:21:55. > :22:03.Excellent chance for Stuart Bingham. Seems to be playing a fraction
:22:04. > :22:09.easier, with new cloth and cushions on. Whether it's sliding better
:22:10. > :22:12.because of that, I don't know, but there was a struggle on the table
:22:13. > :22:16.yesterday. Tell you what, I had a practise on
:22:17. > :22:20.one of the practise tables there and these pockets are so tight. tight.
:22:21. > :22:41.- players make it look so easy. Like to get the odd game here, you
:22:42. > :22:43.know, Willie, nice and warm here in the Barbican Centre, knocking a few
:22:44. > :23:23.balls around. Normally could reach that. But just
:23:24. > :23:28.a few balls in the way slightly. He has to lean over the black there, so
:23:29. > :23:40.the extension means he just can avoid touching the black.
:23:41. > :23:45.APPLAUSE Two Reds below the black spot there,
:23:46. > :23:48.he'd really like the black on its spot to make the reds easier, but
:23:49. > :23:53.he's not going to do that obviously, so will have to work off the pink
:23:54. > :23:58.only. Next two reds and pink are not a problem, maybe the next one is not
:23:59. > :24:01.a problem. The next one along the cushion will be tough to get off the
:24:02. > :24:26.cover. He'd love to leave an angle on the
:24:27. > :24:30.last pink. Like to leave an angle to move off this cushion. Of course,
:24:31. > :24:35.that's going to be tough to get that kind of angle. If the angle was
:24:36. > :24:38.there now, he could play it now, but I don't think it's quite there.
:24:39. > :24:41.Could have done with that white being there. It's worth playing this
:24:42. > :24:51.kiss. Far too much on that. At least he's
:24:52. > :25:37.in the driving seat at the moment. The right side of the pink to try
:25:38. > :25:40.and get the snooker. He's looking for something else. But it seems a
:25:41. > :25:48.straightforward shot. I thought he'd go one cushion. He's
:25:49. > :26:01.going off the other side. Should get a similar result.
:26:02. > :26:09.I don't blame him for that. Only eight points in front, so if Neil
:26:10. > :26:30.pots the red, he'll need the pink, but it was worth the risk.
:26:31. > :26:44.Now, can he get past the blue? Had a hard look. Stuart's having a long,
:26:45. > :26:51.hard look. Oh, that's not the best shot
:26:52. > :27:15.Stuart's ever played. Trying to leave the red near the
:27:16. > :27:21.yellow. Still not in this frame. It's going to be tough for either
:27:22. > :27:28.player to win the visit. The pink's not safe when we get to that ball
:27:29. > :27:30.because Neil being a left hander, if it's his shot, it will be an easy
:27:31. > :27:52.one. That was a fabulous pot, wasn't it?
:27:53. > :27:59.Sorting out the angle he has now. These pockets are not easy, so
:28:00. > :28:04.close. The closer you are, makes the pot slightly easier. It's amazing,
:28:05. > :28:16.the pink being there has now worked to Neil's advantage.
:28:17. > :28:20.APPLAUSE He'll get the snooker, play the
:28:21. > :28:26.snooker, guaranteed to get it if he plays this correctly. He's 5-3 in
:28:27. > :28:35.front. He'd dearly love to open that goop to three frames so he will play
:28:36. > :28:45.the snooker. It's funny though, sin? He'd take the 30. -- isn't it? He'd
:28:46. > :29:09.take the pot. No problem hitting it even though he
:29:10. > :29:15.may have to play off the back cushion. It's where the others are
:29:16. > :29:25.going to go. Like to try and swerve it thin but will do well to cover
:29:26. > :29:35.the yellow up. Hit it thin. Right over the pocket.
:29:36. > :29:44.There is a shot on here. If he plays it with a bit of right hand side, he
:29:45. > :29:47.can swing it past the pink, new the middle pocket and drop nicely on the
:29:48. > :29:51.green. Looking to see if he can go up and down, but I think if he goes
:29:52. > :29:57.that side of the pink, well, I think that's what he's got in mind. If you
:29:58. > :30:01.just drop it in, you can have the pink or the blue. That way, he's
:30:02. > :30:09.bound to finish on the green, somewhere near the line which would
:30:10. > :30:15.be perfect. Gone all the way around, going to hit the blue. Surprised he
:30:16. > :30:21.tried to get all the way around. Amazing. He probably was worried
:30:22. > :30:25.about the in-off. That's the only reason why I can consider that shot.
:30:26. > :30:29.Looked pretty straightforward, to be honest. Must have thought the in-off
:30:30. > :30:31.would be close so decided to take that out of the equation. It's not
:30:32. > :31:01.easy. Well, that is exactly why he is
:31:02. > :31:06.world number one. On the cushion, almost on the pocket in fact, to cue
:31:07. > :31:10.that as smoothly as he did. Ten out of ten.
:31:11. > :31:16.He's going to open up that three-frame advantage. He's just
:31:17. > :31:24.making sure and checking the score. Needs the pink as well to make
:31:25. > :31:26.absolutely sure. Lack at the side on that. Going to be close to the
:31:27. > :31:54.cushion. Look at the side on that. Amazing. Wow. First frame of the
:31:55. > :32:01.evening session. Could we have a respoted black? That was much easier
:32:02. > :32:08.than the green that he potted, but that was frame ball.
:32:09. > :32:15.Two shots here. He could play the snooker in behind the back. He could
:32:16. > :32:21.play thin off it and leave plenty of distance between pink and white.
:32:22. > :32:26.There is a possibility he could push the pink to the side cushion and get
:32:27. > :32:36.the snooker in behind the black. He can only tie at the moment.
:32:37. > :32:45.Trying to get in behind the black. Making sure he's got that pink safe.
:32:46. > :32:49.APPLAUSE Always nice to see the big breaks to
:32:50. > :32:54.win a frame. Tell you what, nothing like a good, close frame to watch
:32:55. > :33:07.for excitement. It's a massive frame, isn't it, as
:33:08. > :33:09.far as Bingham supporters are concerned. Can't afford to go behind
:33:10. > :33:18.again. He tried it again, didn't he? It
:33:19. > :33:27.wasn't a bad effort. He's got the main part of the shot right. Got to
:33:28. > :33:37.keep that object ball safe. A snooker would have been a bonus.
:33:38. > :33:42.Not enough room to go in behind the pink to push at the table. So does
:33:43. > :33:51.he push it on the side cushion or play the pink up and down? Looking
:33:52. > :33:53.at the pot. A few players would try to double the pink to the top
:33:54. > :34:06.pocket. He's tried it and he's not far away.
:34:07. > :34:10.It's in! And what a shot the Australian's
:34:11. > :34:17.pulled off there. Stuart can't believe it. But he has got himself
:34:18. > :34:20.into that. And he has a three frame lead.
:34:21. > :34:23.I think it was Dennis Taylor at the beginning of the session said we are
:34:24. > :34:26.in for a cracking semi-final. It's so tense out there, and then
:34:27. > :34:32.something like that happens, Ken? Yes, it's amazing. A very clever
:34:33. > :34:38.shot there by Robertson. The only reason he went for this, he's ahead,
:34:39. > :34:44.so Stuart needs pink and black, so it's worth having a go, particularly
:34:45. > :34:48.in the position where the black was. The fact that the black is tight to
:34:49. > :34:52.the cushion, Stuart still needs two balls and the spot to win the frame.
:34:53. > :34:56.Worth a gamble. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they jangle, sometimes
:34:57. > :35:00.they go safe so it was worth the choice. Crucial? Yes, a carbon copy
:35:01. > :35:04.of some of the frames he's lost today. He's getting chances and
:35:05. > :35:11.breaking down. He's not clinical enough, not winning the frames on
:35:12. > :35:16.one visit. I'm not sure whether the O'Sullivan match took it out of him,
:35:17. > :35:21.but he's not the same. That's how sport is and snooker is. Ever ary
:35:22. > :35:27.day can be completely different and that's what we are seeing with
:35:28. > :35:33.Stuart. What is so special with Bingham at the moment? There is an
:35:34. > :35:40.aura about this fella? Yes, surprised when he misses one,
:35:41. > :35:44.Robertson, but he potted some great balls. The green that he potted into
:35:45. > :35:50.the middle pocket, such a great Potter, and this match particularly
:35:51. > :35:54.has been very conservative. It's like a different approach. Normally
:35:55. > :35:58.he'd go for a lot of long balls but he's been conservative, concentrated
:35:59. > :36:03.more on the safety, keeping the pressure on Stuart Bingham and it
:36:04. > :36:09.seems to be working. A huge frame for Stuart Bingham? Couldn't agree
:36:10. > :36:15.with Ken more. We are looking at the score, 6-3, and it could easily have
:36:16. > :36:19.been the other way around. Bingham's had chances virtually every single
:36:20. > :36:20.frame, but he'll be disappointed with the scoreline at the moment.
:36:21. > :36:33.Not out of this match yet though. It's a snooker but they are almost
:36:34. > :37:04.back in the pyramid again, the reds. Sometimes when you play someone in
:37:05. > :37:08.an exhibition, they put their chalk down and say, I would like to hit
:37:09. > :37:13.there. You are not allowed to do that in professional snooker. It's
:37:14. > :37:15.just squaring up off the cushion. It's a natural angle before the
:37:16. > :37:21.middle pocket from where the white is and that's bound to be two or
:37:22. > :37:30.three inches away from the pink. Whether the cushion is squaring up
:37:31. > :37:31.or not, I don't know. He's overcompensated now. And has he put
:37:32. > :37:50.the red on? Does it pass the black? Oh, that's very tight. You would
:37:51. > :37:57.have to role that and even then... That is just too tight.
:37:58. > :38:03.Can certainly see the left hand jaw but not the centre of the pocket.
:38:04. > :38:12.He's decided he can't see enough of the pocket to pot it.
:38:13. > :39:18.Should be a straightforward safety back for Stuart.
:39:19. > :39:26.Hamperd slightly with the brown. He's got two reds to aim at to play
:39:27. > :39:29.the little thin one off down the right side of the table. When you
:39:30. > :39:38.are striking down, it's easy to get a bit of unwanted slide on it. And
:39:39. > :39:46.he hit it too thick. He didn't plan to hit that red.
:39:47. > :39:55.Getting a little frustrated, isn't he? He's entitled to be with that
:39:56. > :39:58.shot though, fortunate to have left himself hampered -- unfortunate. He
:39:59. > :40:06.hit it too thick. What sort of shot is going to be
:40:07. > :40:10.played here, because he's going to go into the reds. The blue slightly
:40:11. > :40:12.in the way. He could finish on the black if he judges the cannon
:40:13. > :40:28.correctly. Good effort. Might just slip off the
:40:29. > :40:31.reds. And he will have finished nicely on the black. He's left with
:40:32. > :40:55.a pink that he could take on. You just sense that the Australian
:40:56. > :41:00.is growing in confidence. As Ken said, he has been very
:41:01. > :41:09.conservative. He's refused a few long pots, but he's quite a thinker
:41:10. > :41:17.is Neil Robertson. Looks as if he's playing to a game
:41:18. > :41:20.plan and it's working. Just wonder whether going to the
:41:21. > :41:24.four reds left of the pink here, but he's no need to. Might just do that
:41:25. > :41:28.because it's definitely going to give him a chance to go for the
:41:29. > :41:31.frame. We know the red passes the black and the one that's nearest the
:41:32. > :41:38.black spot is the one he wants to get rid of.
:41:39. > :41:43.He's got a choice of reds. Too close to the cushion for comfort to play
:41:44. > :41:47.the one nearest to the black spot. May decide to go for the blue. Or
:41:48. > :41:53.the one nearest the black. We'll know in a moment.
:41:54. > :42:01.Dhees sided to play the slightly more difficult red. But, as you can
:42:02. > :42:06.see, it's difficult cueing. If you are not comfortable, just
:42:07. > :42:08.take the easier pot, then he can come back to that one if it's nicely
:42:09. > :42:27.on the blue. Slight change of plan. Taking the
:42:28. > :42:40.blue into the corner. Shouldn't be a problem. There are reds available.
:42:41. > :42:48.Misjudged the shot at the minute and everything is falling nice for Neil.
:42:49. > :42:51.If that cue ball would have stopped further back from where it was, he
:42:52. > :42:55.couldn't have played that shot. He played for the middle and finished
:42:56. > :42:59.dead straight on the corner. This is what happens when you are starting
:43:00. > :43:14.to play well. You get that little bit of run on the ball.
:43:15. > :43:21.It's amazing, Stuart's record against Neil. Beaten him five time
:43:22. > :43:31.times. Neil's just won the once. Some of those wins, 4-0, 6-0, 4-0.
:43:32. > :43:37.There is no real advantage of playing on the cushion because the
:43:38. > :43:40.black doesn't pot in the opposite corner. They are virtually level on
:43:41. > :44:36.points, but the big difference, of course, is the three frames.
:44:37. > :44:49.Thinking about that. Looked at the blue, but I think he's just going to
:44:50. > :44:56.try and lock the path off to land on the red that's near the cushion.
:44:57. > :45:06.I don't know if he's done that. Stuart might be able to get to that.
:45:07. > :45:11.It depends. He has got it very close to the green so he's going to have
:45:12. > :45:15.to go off the side cushion up past the blue. To land on that would be a
:45:16. > :45:28.terrific shot, but he might be automobile to pull it off.
:45:29. > :45:35.If he's close to the green, he could go around the angles to get to that
:45:36. > :45:44.one. But if he can come off the side cushion, that would be much easier.
:45:45. > :45:48.He's had a close look to see if he can just get off the one cushion.
:45:49. > :45:51.Even if he has to go into the red and can't get to that one that's
:45:52. > :45:53.near the cushion. He's going to swerve it and tray and get off the
:45:54. > :46:23.side cushion to land on that red. It just hit perfectly. Played it
:46:24. > :46:28.slow to give it time to take. There may be a red that's available in the
:46:29. > :46:33.top corner pocket. He'll be unlucky if he's left that one. Yes,
:46:34. > :46:41.everything going right for Robertson at the moment. Not so for Mr
:46:42. > :46:45.Bingham. You have still got to knock them in. And that was a good, long
:46:46. > :46:50.pot. He's one of the best we have ever had in the game at long
:46:51. > :47:01.potting. You were saying there is the long
:47:02. > :47:07.pot success rate, the difference is for me there that he's only played
:47:08. > :47:11.16 long pots and potted 13, Bingham's played 22 and potted 15,
:47:12. > :47:14.so Bingham's been pushing the boat out on the long game and Robertson
:47:15. > :47:21.hasn't today. You would think it was the other way around, wouldn't you,
:47:22. > :47:29.with how good Robertson is for the long pots.
:47:30. > :47:36.Got some action on that, didn't he? They were all covering each other?
:47:37. > :47:44.Needed something special. Watch this here. It stop and then
:47:45. > :47:48.all of a sudden it takes off. But cannoned the wrong red and cannoned
:47:49. > :47:52.the red to the right of that. He would have been OK. Touching balls.
:47:53. > :48:42.That is a bug advantage. That deep screw shot we showed you
:48:43. > :48:47.on the yellow, this is it now. Watch the ball stop. All of a sudden the
:48:48. > :48:52.black-and-white ball will start spinning and keep spunning and keep
:48:53. > :48:57.spinning. It wasn't you that played that shot, was it, Willie? Too good
:48:58. > :49:05.for me. Playing an alternative shot now.
:49:06. > :49:14.Certainly he'll be playing a little thicker than he has done on the
:49:15. > :49:20.first two occasions. One day it's going to happen, third attempt on
:49:21. > :49:32.the cushion and you Miskiw. It could cost you the frame. What a time it
:49:33. > :49:39.would be to Miskiw. Can you imagine -- miscue.
:49:40. > :49:44.If he rolled to this red, it wouldn't leave a great deal. Oh,
:49:45. > :49:58.he's played a cracking shot. The crowd certainly enjoyed that.
:49:59. > :50:02.He's look looking at the old commentary box and smiling. Should
:50:03. > :50:15.have played it that way the first time! Neil is starting to cue very
:50:16. > :50:34.well. Getting close to virtually every single one he takes. Both just
:50:35. > :50:39.over 90%, Neil just 1% ahead. Can't be a five-ball plant on there. Going
:50:40. > :50:47.to the right of the pocket I would think, last red. Don't see many
:50:48. > :50:54.five-ball plants. Just when things are not going
:50:55. > :50:56.right, you can see there normally you go past the green and get on the
:50:57. > :51:01.cushion, when things are going wrong, it's amazing how many times
:51:02. > :51:08.you hit the colours. Can't get anything to happen at the minute,
:51:09. > :51:16.Stuart. Real solid match play snooker from Robertson.
:51:17. > :51:25.A good friend who sadly passed away many years ago, steady Eddie
:51:26. > :51:29.Charlton from Australia, used to hit many colours when he played the
:51:30. > :51:36.safety shot and used to mutter away to himself.
:51:37. > :51:42.This is good. This is very good. That was the difference. He's just
:51:43. > :51:45.missed the green by a fraction there. When you are going well, it's
:51:46. > :51:49.amazing how things can happen. I don't think he's played it
:51:50. > :51:53.in-between green and brown, just slightly missed it for safety but
:51:54. > :52:03.he's got it perfect. This is dangerous playing do cushions.
:52:04. > :52:09.Just coming round to have a look to see, but doesn't look to be anything
:52:10. > :52:13.easy. Better to miss it all together with the first attempt because the
:52:14. > :52:21.last thing he wants to do is hit this thick because it will hand the
:52:22. > :52:26.frame to Neil if he hits the red on the thick side. Such a delicate
:52:27. > :52:29.little shot, this. He's got the two reds, either of those he can clip
:52:30. > :52:46.off. Second time lucky. Third time lucky...
:52:47. > :52:48.Of course, he can have as many goes. He is snookered, three misses and
:52:49. > :52:59.you miss the frame. Doesn't apply. He'd much rather give another maybe
:53:00. > :53:04.ten points away, rather than hit the red full ball and leave it that end
:53:05. > :53:12.of the table and it will be over. Have to get very close this time.
:53:13. > :53:16.That's what he was looking for. Well played.
:53:17. > :53:25.Yes, you don't mind giving a couple of fouls away until you get it
:53:26. > :53:29.right. If he had have hit it thick, he would have handed the frame to
:53:30. > :53:34.Neil. Neil still has to be careful because all the colours are in open
:53:35. > :53:36.play. The pink is a little awkward but it's not a bad fable he wants to
:53:37. > :53:48.get a chance. -- table. It's just that green and
:53:49. > :54:01.brown are not a bad target to get in behind.
:54:02. > :54:10.Neil Robertson's turn to hit a ball colour. Stuart's now got a chance to
:54:11. > :54:16.get the upper hand on this safety exchange. Doesn't matter which way
:54:17. > :54:19.around he plays it, off the left or the right, he can get in behind one
:54:20. > :54:37.of the colours. Favoured the right side. Looks
:54:38. > :54:40.easier than the left side. And he's hit it too thick. Where is this red
:54:41. > :55:02.going? Might not be too bad. When I first seen the red heading up
:55:03. > :55:29.the table, I thought it would be staying up there but it's not on.
:55:30. > :55:43.Changed his mind playing the safety shot.
:55:44. > :55:53.And a good one it is too. Time to push the boat out, Dennis,
:55:54. > :56:03.55 behind it may be. Can get past the black. He's been
:56:04. > :56:05.very positive throughout this UK Championship. Not going to change
:56:06. > :56:23.his game now. Can't cue them any better than that.
:56:24. > :56:27.Got a long blue. Without the cannon on the red, he would have been
:56:28. > :56:39.better. Well done. Well done. That was a
:56:40. > :56:40.really big one. When you are sucks three behind, it's more difficult
:56:41. > :57:07.than when you are 6-3 in front. Chance to bring the pink and red
:57:08. > :57:21.into play. All of a sudden if this works out, he could get himself back
:57:22. > :57:25.into this frame. Key shot. You could play that shot another ten times and
:57:26. > :57:37.not finish like that. That is so unlucky. Can't imagine him sticking
:57:38. > :57:45.on the red there. Five reds all loose. Just aMadame
:57:46. > :57:51.Tussaudsing. That is unfortunate. Quite a bit of snooker left in this
:57:52. > :58:04.frame after that white sticking on the red -- amaze amazing. At least
:58:05. > :58:28.he's got a chance to fight his way back in.
:58:29. > :58:31.on BBC Two. Live coverage continues on the red
:58:32. > :58:36.button and on the BBC Sport website. We are back with highlights this
:58:37. > :58:40.evening. But, slightly later than advertised now at 11. 25, due to an
:58:41. > :58:46.extended Newsnight programme. We'll see you then, have a great evening.
:58:47. > :58:48.From all of us here, bye for now.